Property Management Company Sentenced After Apprentice Crushed by Unsecured Boards

Brief Summary

A property management company carrying out renovation work was prosecuted after an 18 year old joiner apprentice died when heavy wooden board materials were stacked upright and unsecured. The case highlights failures in safe systems of work, risk assessment, storage, lone working arrangements, supervision, and the provision of instruction and training.

What Was The Incident?

The apprentice was working alone at a residential property undergoing full renovation. Wooden board materials were stacked vertically against a wall without being secured. There was no identification of the risk of boards falling, and no attempt to secure the boards in their upright position. It is believed she was trying to retrieve a plywood board from the stack when boards fell, crushing her neck and causing fatal injuries. The stack contained 28 boards of large dimensions, potentially weighing up to 30 kg each.

What Was The Outcome?

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £50,000 with £10,080 costs. The director pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the same Act and received a 26 week prison sentence suspended for two years, with £7,886 costs.

Key Points To Consider

Secure heavy materials to prevent toppling or falling. Where boards and other materials are stored, they must be stored safely so they cannot topple or roll over, and should not be stacked on edge without adequate support and securing.

Implement effective risk assessment before work starts. Risks created by storage arrangements and the task being carried out must be assessed, including the likelihood of large, heavy materials falling when retrieved or disturbed.

Provide safe lone working arrangements and control measures. If lone working is part of the work plan, there should be suitable policies or procedures and increased training, supervision and monitoring, including arrangements to confirm the person has returned safely.

Ensure apprentices receive adequate instruction, training, and supervision. Employers must provide information, instruction, training and supervision appropriate to the role, and supervision must be adequate so that unsafe practices do not go unchecked.

Develop safe systems of work including safe storage procedures. Safe systems of work should include clear procedures for storing and handling materials on site, so that workers are protected from foreseeable hazards created by the way materials are stacked and accessed.

HSE Prosecution Link